The Olympics face condemnation from French bishops over perceived ‘mockery of Christianity,’ calling for respect for religious values.
France’s Bishops’ Conference denounced the organizers of the Olympic Games for featuring an LGBTQ-themed parody of The Last Supper during its opening ceremony. While event officials claimed that this performance was in line with their “values and principles.”
On Friday night, a ceremony was held in central Paris that ended with Jesus Christ and his apostles from Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” depicted by a group of drag queens, homosexuals, and transsexuals posing at a table.
Afterward, a colossal dish was presented in front of the table. Emerging from it was a man who appeared mostly bare and had been adorned to resemble Dionysus – the ancient Greek god of wine and rapture.
During the performance, a table revealed the testicles of a male dancer.
On Saturday, the Bishops’ Conference expressed their deep regret about the inclusion of scenes that mocked and ridiculed Christianity in the ceremony.
The statement expressed gratitude towards other religious groups for standing in solidarity with them. The focus was on all Christians worldwide who have been negatively impacted by the exaggeration and provocation of certain events.
Christians and conservatives globally criticized the ceremony. Bishop Robert Barron from Minnesota expressed that it was a “blatant disrespect for the Last Supper,” while Italian Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini stated that France’s decision to insult billions of Christians at the start of Olympics was not appreciated.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, expressed his opinion that the display was “highly disrespectful to Christians.” On the other hand, technology entrepreneur Dr. Eli David wrote that he felt infuriated by this outrageous insult towards Jesus Christ and Christianity even though he is Jewish.
The organizers of the Olympics have justified their opening ceremony by stating, “Our intention was to manifest our values and beliefs through an elaborate display,” as conveyed by Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet during a conversation with journalists on Saturday. He added that “our objective was to stimulate introspection among viewers, which is why we aimed for utmost effectiveness in communicating our message.”
“Our aim was to promote inclusivity,” stated Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the event. He continued by saying that their intention was to highlight diversity and its importance in bringing people together. In essence, they aimed at including everyone without exception.”
